Ellusionist - Mentalism Discussionhttp://forums.ellusionist.com/
Conversations regarding the specific practice, performance, and theory of mentalism.enFri, 18 Aug 2017 03:15:59 GMTvBulletin1http://forums.ellusionist.com/mg_images/e_modern/misc/rss.pngEllusionist - Mentalism Discussionhttp://forums.ellusionist.com/
What is this magic trick ?http://forums.ellusionist.com/showthread.php?99690-What-is-this-magic-trick&goto=newpost
Thu, 31 Mar 2016 21:32:38 GMTThe magician has a card which is showing a little in his breast pocket. He goes to a person and asks to name a card. What ever the person says that is the card in the magicians pocket. He only has one card. I saw this on a hypnosis video compilation. Do you think it was a camera trick ? I really want to know if this trick exists then where can I get it from.The magician has a card which is showing a little in his breast pocket. He goes to a person and asks to name a card. What ever the person says that is the card in the magicians pocket. He only has one card. I saw this on a hypnosis video compilation. Do you think it was a camera trick ? I really want to know if this trick exists then where can I get it from.
]]>Mentalism DiscussionHilalhttp://forums.ellusionist.com/showthread.php?99690-What-is-this-magic-trickTricks similar to system 88http://forums.ellusionist.com/showthread.php?99665-Tricks-similar-to-system-88&goto=newpost
Fri, 11 Mar 2016 09:14:33 GMTA few weeks back I got back into my routine again, did the system 88 on a lot of people. Many were left speechless as it's a given with the effect. What I can't find is tricks similar to system 88. There is plenty of cold reading material out there but anyone who knows system 88 knows that it isn't cold reading.
]]>Mentalism DiscussionHilalhttp://forums.ellusionist.com/showthread.php?99665-Tricks-similar-to-system-88Predicting star signhttp://forums.ellusionist.com/showthread.php?99530-Predicting-star-sign&goto=newpost
Mon, 26 Oct 2015 20:01:56 GMTThis seemed like the best place for this thread. Has anyone ever tired guessing sings? I like to, from time and time. Obviously the odds of 1/12 aren't in your favor.

Has anyone had more success with this?

I have tired using this with cog but not surprisingly cog is more accurate in telling the cards. Still i persist. Peter turner is a huge influence. Be bold thats what he always says.

So do guess accurately more than 60-70 percent of the time their star sign? I believe with experience one can gain accuracy. I don't like to guess star signs. I think its better to tell them about their childhood but this is something that has always fascinated me.
]]>Mentalism DiscussionHilalhttp://forums.ellusionist.com/showthread.php?99530-Predicting-star-signSqueaky Clean Predictionhttp://forums.ellusionist.com/showthread.php?99476-Squeaky-Clean-Prediction&goto=newpost
Wed, 19 Aug 2015 01:40:38 GMTSo, I'm doing an one-hour show at a local con next month - two smaller effects for the first half, then a Q&A for the second half, ending with a prediction of things that were revealed or said during the show. And after doing some last minute tinkering, I realized that I have a completely fair, one-hundred percent open prediction that I don't have to be near when the spectator opens and reads... because most of the information is now forced.

The first two things force information in sneaky ways, and the final bit is all forced except for some of the readings. So I can now reveal that I've predicted about 75% of the show in the cleanest way possible. Prior to that, there was a complex two-stage prediction using a nest of envelopes and an Unbelievalope. Now - one envelope, one prediction, I stay far away. Now to find something or the Unbelievalope to do!

Just a cool thing I've discovered in rehearsals tonight that I wanted to share! <3
]]>Mentalism Discussioncaitiecathttp://forums.ellusionist.com/showthread.php?99476-Squeaky-Clean-PredictionDunningerhttp://forums.ellusionist.com/showthread.php?99441-Dunninger&goto=newpost
Wed, 22 Jul 2015 22:57:05 GMTJust out of curiosity, The Secret in Practical Mental Effects requires a hard to find chemical. Although I've handled this chemical before, there are few websites that sell it to purchasers without a liscense. I especially like this handling as I think it is a performing style I could get behind and leaves a lot of room for atmosphere and drama. Have any of you out there found an alternative route of presentation and materials used?

Any helpful info is appreciated!

-Mark
]]>Mentalism DiscussionMentalMarkhttp://forums.ellusionist.com/showthread.php?99441-DunningerHypnosis or Social Compliance?http://forums.ellusionist.com/showthread.php?99360-Hypnosis-or-Social-Compliance&goto=newpost
Sat, 06 Jun 2015 04:00:35 GMTI thought it'd be interesting to pose this debate here. I know a few E members a practicing/performing hypnotists, and/or incorporate similar stunts in their work. What do people feel about the experience of hypnosis? Is it a legitimately altered frame of mind where participants see and feel everything the hypnotist suggests? Or is it simply social compliance where participants essentially just 'play along' with the hypnotist?

On one hand, we've seen encounters such as Howie Mandel temporarily overcoming his fear of germs and physical contact on AGT through hypnosis. In my mind, this obviously suggests that people experience altered states of reality under trance. On the other hand, however, we've also seen trivial, overblown Vegas stage performances where multiple participants act foolishly onstage. In my mind, the vast majority of the participants onstage are not under hypnosis at all and are simply having fun for the sake of the show. This is further supported by multiple "after action reports" such as this (WARNING, adult language): http://jamesgunn.com/2010/04/16/how-...e-is-bull****/

As a fledgling hypnotist, myself, I would love to use more robust suggestions in my repertoire. I'm just having issues wrapping my head around the types of things I've seen more seasoned professionals perform. I'm currently studying Anthony Jacquin's material, particularly the Trilby Connection. Although he attempts to rationalize suggestions such as visual hallucinations in his instruction, I'm not fully convinced that subjects legitimately experience what hypnotists suggest...

Curious about others' thoughts. Here's looking at you, Christopher...

RS.
]]>Mentalism DiscussionRaymond Singsonhttp://forums.ellusionist.com/showthread.php?99360-Hypnosis-or-Social-ComplianceOM Billet Boxhttp://forums.ellusionist.com/showthread.php?99192-OM-Billet-Box&goto=newpost
Sat, 14 Feb 2015 05:01:01 GMTSo, I've got PME here. I have the instructions to make this wonderful OM box. But I can't find an actual box that's appropriate for it - as in, I can't find a box with long enough sides. I've been looking for what seems like forever and I just can't find anything.

I'd like to construct my own, and the type of candy box that was suggested in the book hardly seems large enough, according to what I've found (although candy research made me a very happy and well-fed magic girl). Does anyone have any resources for proper boxes and where to find them? I've shopped boxes for so long they don't look like actual objects anymore.
]]>Mentalism Discussioncaitiecathttp://forums.ellusionist.com/showthread.php?99192-OM-Billet-Boxhttp://forums.ellusionist.com/showthread.php?99164-Beginner-s-Question-on-Billets&goto=newpost
Tue, 03 Feb 2015 01:45:53 GMTHello all!

I'm starting my journey in mentalism with some great material by Ted Annemann, and I'm super excited.

I had a ton of billets cut out of index stock a week ago, and now I'm practicing palming and switching. I'm a little worried I had the billets cut too small, though... Annemann suggests 2 1/2 by 3 1/2 size billets, but I cut them 2 x 3 inches, since they would then fit inside a #1 coin envelope. I also read some people liked that size on the Magic Cafe, and I didn't think 1/4 or 1/2 inch would make too much of a difference, AND it's not too hard to find pads of paper that are 2 x 3 in. (in case I don't want to use a loose stack) and I want to use a uniform size all around.

Long story short, I'm worried the billets are too small when folded, now. Palming and switching feel awkward, and I feel like I have to fumble because they're too small.

Or maybe I'm just not used to handling them because I'm a beginner? I would love to hear if anyone has any opinion on billet sizing.

I just finished this last night and have to say it was really helpful. I noticed there are a ton of disappointed reviewers. Most of these reviews were expressing the similar issues such as "there were no tricks taught, I paid good money for secrets." Reading these did not discourage me from making the purchase, however. What I found most humorous about these negative reviews was that Derren, throughout the lecture, explicitly states that the trick or "secret" is the least important part of performing magic and mentalism.

The part that stuck with me the most, as a blooming performer, was when Derren discussed today's generic model of success. Here in America, instant gratification is becoming habit. This is why I think most of the reviewers were disappointed to watch 3 hours of discussion and learned little to no secrets of Derren's arsenal. Probably because the "secret" doesn't lie in the tangible/mechanical process of conjuring. Other parts of the lecture I really appreciated were when he talks about letting go of "control." You can't control what people think of you or what spectators think -- you can only control your thoughts and actions. Likewise, you cannot "control" your success you, and you alone can only create opportunities for "success."

I for one found tons of gold in the lecture. I noticed some reviewers mentioning that it seemed really repetitive and seemed to drag on. Yes, in some parts. However, for me, he was able to hold my attention the whole lecture -- even the parts where it seemed to drag on. What made me the most happy was that Derren didn't expose a lot and you get to see how he feels about things like exposure. I'm sure there were tons of Derren fans hoping that after 3 hours he'd transform them into mind control experts. I never expected him to do anything of the sort. I'm grateful he didn't -- it leaves plenty more work and discoveries for the rest of us. I gave this a 4/5 rating because I feel like this lecture could have gone into more depth on performing and specific things like stagecraft/blocking. Some parts seem a little too general for people just "starting out." Overall, this was totally worth the money. Already, I've begun reevaluating my approach to mentalism, how to give my spectators a tangible experience they can take with them, and also creating "world" out of practically nothing.

Please share your thoughts on this lecture. It would be great to discuss and hear other ideas.
]]>Mentalism DiscussionMentalMarkhttp://forums.ellusionist.com/showthread.php?99121-Derren-Brown-Penguin-LectureMystery By Associationhttp://forums.ellusionist.com/showthread.php?99091-Mystery-By-Association&goto=newpost
Wed, 07 Jan 2015 00:22:06 GMTHello all,

I haven't been able to find any reviews on Kenton's Mystery by Association. It was mentioned in Craig Browning's Intro to Mentalism. I was wondering if it would be a wise investment for someone beginning to put some mentalism routine ideas together. I'm also a little confused on what it generally entails as far as showmanship and performing.

Has anyone here purchased this? Is this a good investment? Why or why not?

The name is Mark and I'm a beginner in mentalism. I decided to join this forum because I've been studying for a while now, but could really use some guidance. I had figured I'd leave that judgement to the forum and hopefully get some feedback. I've read on other forums that it's a good idea to find a mentor. Currently, I'm taking my time making my way through steps 1, 4, and 6 of Corinda -- as these are the steps that currently interest me. For a few years I had researched, here and there, a variety of sources of mentalism, but never really sat down and put 'the work' in.

My (mentalism) reading list consists of the following in no particular order:
1) The Amateur Magician's Handbook - as suggested by Bob Cassidy in his Artful Mentalism
2) Strong Magic - I figured this would help with stagecraft
3) Magic and Showmanship ^
4) EB's switchcraft - to complement my learning steps 4 and 6
5) PMM - I'm really starting to gut it for ideas for routines
6) Craig Browning's Intro to Mentalism - I've been reading and rereading this for months now and allow me to say that it has been a terrific guide and has really encouraged me to dig into my mentalism studying and find the gems in what a few consider "outdated." Each day I spend a little time going back over the lessons in this and find myself more confident (in the route I'm taking) than yesterday.

Getting back to guidance... I'm having trouble coming up with my persona and pretext, some trouble with some steps in Corinda, where to start with scripting, and a load of questions for "what else might be out there" or "how else could I rework this 'n that" in mentalism. I have a burning passion for psychology, but I feel like the 'psychological manipulator' persona is a tad overused, but then again maybe that's the only thing that "fits" my personality. I don't feel comfortable making claims or even what they would be or what I would talk about. I guess what I need help with most is context. The context of my learning, constructing, and then performing.

I look forward to hearing from you all and contributing. Thanks for taking the time to read this rant.

- Mark
]]>Mentalism DiscussionMentalMarkhttp://forums.ellusionist.com/showthread.php?99086-IntroductionSuperhero Reading Systemhttp://forums.ellusionist.com/showthread.php?99059-Superhero-Reading-System&goto=newpost
Sat, 27 Dec 2014 04:54:05 GMTI've attempted to incorporate personal readings into many of my recent performances. I'm admittedly really new to this genre of mentalism, but in my opinion-- a solid reading for a participant doesn't get any fairer or more personal when it comes to a demonstration of mind-reading. That's primarily why I'm personally so interested in it. Becoming proficient in this skill enables the performer to entertain at a moment's notice without any secret props, gimmicks, or devices. How many mentalists -- or even mental magicians -- do you know who can successfully do that? After studying/observing alleged psychics for a couple months both live and online, I've also read Ian Rowland's Full Facts of Cold Reading and Brad Henderson's The Dance in attempt to build my understanding of the craft. I learned that a good reading becomes a dialogue between the performer and the participant.

Despite that, I also learned that it's often good to have a "system" to feed that dialogue. What I always hated about most systems is that they consisted of overly general Barnum statements and stock lines that could apply to virtually anyone; I always felt like that was too transparent of a system. I'm sure they're effective in the appropriate context, but most of the time, I just despised how lazily non-descript such systems were. The systems that produced more concrete detail or vivid imagery and information were often too difficult to commit to memory or impractical to recall during the heat of a performance.

In attempt to bring more color and detail to the readings I performed, I started playing with an idea that produced much more success than I could have ever imagined. Best of all, it doesn't take long to memorize (chances are, most here already committed it to memory throughout their childhood), and despite that-- it lends itself to some insanely accurate "hits." This system is admittedly comprised of different stock lines that can actually change from person to person and reading to reading, making each reading inherently unique to the participant. I believe this is a significant strength over other reading systems currently published.

To demonstrate, give me an opportunity to read you. Keep in mind, this is (unfortunately) a one-sided conversation, so I won't be able to elaborate on any specific details as I would if you were genuinely here, interacting one-on-one. If you're in your mid to late 20s, you may find that this will resonate with you more than those of other ages, but I hope everyone will find something worthwhile and personal in this reading...

"I gather that you have a sense of humor that often gets you in trouble. Despite that, you see no point in changing at all, so you surround yourself with those who appreciate a healthy dose of sarcasm and wit. Overall, you have a good reputation for being funny and well-liked...

It wasn't always like that though. When you were younger, you really didn't fit in in school. You were more creative than most, but most of the time, you were likely invisible to the majority of your class. You consciously avoided confrontation with the more popular kids. In fact, I'm sensing a crush of a girl you dreamed of pursuing... Marianne? Marissa? Mary? An M name of some sort. Does that mean anything to you? I'm not sure if you ever had your chance with this person, but I'm sensing some sort of returned admiration. She liked you too, but you were in different social circles at the time... are you friends with this person on Facebook now?

You're smart. You received above average grades in school, but I imagine that you consider your greatest strengths are more experience-based. You feel like you've lived a lot more than those around you. In fact, recently-- you've been thinking a lot about what makes you different from everyone else. You consider yourself stronger emotionally and more righteous to a degree... you have a solid conscience and a good sense of intuition. You understand when something bad is going to happen before it does. In fact-- you got that trait from an uncle or other elderly figure... who likely passed away too soon. Does that make sense? But you feel like your good qualities are exaggerated... and despite that, you still feel stuck in life. You feel like you could do more to make yourself happier, but you have other obligations and responsibilities to others that you find important..."

So hopefully, bits and pieces of this resonated with the readers here. If you felt particularly drawn to it, congratulations-- you're Spider-Man. All I've done was take the characteristics that make Spider-Man relateable and applied them to a general reading. Please acknowledge that this wouldn't be the full meat and potatoes of the reading, but simply the system that feeds the dialogue between the performer and participant in order to achieve greater, more accurate hits. It's essentially a script of ideas to further explore and elaborate.

The interesting thing about this is that the same could be done with any superhero... or any protagonist at all. Art imitates life. Think about why certain television sitcoms remained on the air for 10+ seasons or why certain comic book heroes became iconic over the span of decades. It's because people enjoyed their stories and related to their characters. If that's the case, in theory-- there should be a piece of everyone in any literary or pop-culture protagonist to make for a successful reading. And since these characters are mainstays, their stories are easy to recall and reiterate with the conviction and consistency needed for a successful reading.

Has this idea been explore before? Like I said, I'm relatively new to readings, and I would love to hear what others have to share.